11 best boys’ swimwear pieces for holidaying in the garden

While beach holidays and lounging around the pool may feel like a distant memory, a spell of nice weather coupled with easing restrictions will have left many of us on the hunt for the best swimwear. (It's also left us looking for the best paddling pools)

Unlike men's swimwear – which largely comes in either shorts or trunks – swimwear for boys comes in a wider range of options; all-in-one full-length swimsuits, long shorts, short shorts, trunks, "happy nappies", vests and two-pieces. Not to mention the huge selection of designs.

This choice is great, but it can be overwhelming, so we've spent the past month putting the best swimwear for our two- and nine-year-old boys to the test to help you make a more informed decision.

The swimwear we've listed below offer either SPF or UPF protection.

You're likely familiar with SPF, which stands for sun protection factor and refers to how long it would take the sun's harmful UVB rays to redden the skin.

Read more

UPF, instead, stands for ultraviolet protection factor and refers specifically to fabrics. It measures the amount of UV radiation – both UVA and UVB – that passes through the clothes and reaches the skin.

This means swimwear rated UPF typically offers a broader, higher range of protection, compared to SPF swimwear. Although the latter still offers adequate protection.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation's seal of recommendation any fabric that claims to protect you from the sun must have a minimum UPF of 30. A UPF of 30 to 49 is rated as "good" and UPF50+ is "excellent".

Any swimwear, particularly all-in-one suits and vests, that offer a high UPF should only require sunscreen on the areas that are exposed to the sun.

However, we recommend applying sunscreen all over, regardless of the type of swimwear being worn, as it gives greater peace of mind and protection. Even the highest rated UPF swimwear only blocks 98 per cent of harmful rays.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

The verdict: Boys' swimwear

You'd be forgiven for thinking all swimwear for boys is largely the same. Having tested various brands and designs for the past month, we have identified pain points we didn't know existed when looking shorts or suits for boys, and also worked out what we need the swimwear to do.

With all of this in mind, the Reima anguilla toddler all-in-one swimsuit is the best swimwear for boys. It ticks so many boxes – extra coverage with sacrificing fit, easy to get on and off, broad protection, fast drying, sustainable fabric and a stylish design. It's not cheap but is far from the most expensive in this round-up and we imagine it will last a long time.

While JoJo Maman Bebe's swim shorts with its built-in nappy manages to combine style and practicality in an affordable product.

IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.

33 AMAZING HACKS FOR YOUR NEXT BEACH TRIP